By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
An inter-faith organisation, comprising of Christians and Moslems, operating in Nigeria under the aegis of Inter-religious Coalition Against Corruption In Nigeria, ICACIN, has advocated the infusion of anti-corruption lessons into religious message preached at the pulpit.
The organisation stated that it is only when this is done that the fight against corruption can be drastically successful.
The cordinators of the organisation made the advocacy during a one-day symposium titled: ‘Using Conventional Media Platforms to Promote Accountability and Anti-Corruption in Nigeria,’ for journalists in Calabar.
In their remark, which was jointly made during the one-day symposium on Thursday in Calabar, the cordinators of the organisation, Bishop Dr. Gospel Emmah Isong, who spoke on behalf of the Christian faith; and Imam Shefiu Abdulkareem, who stood in for the Islamic faith, stated that if lessons of anti-corruption are embedded into messages preached at the pulpit, such messages could help in changing the attitude of many in the congregation.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Promoting Accountability and Anti-Corruption Through Behavioural Change Approaches Project 2021-2024,’ the duo stated that with constant preaching against corruption, the nation stand the chance of getting it right in dealing with the cankerworm of corruption.
Funded by McAuthur Foundation, for the training of over 100 journalists in the South-West, South-South, North-Central geo-political zones, the symposium had about 25 journalists equipped with skills to work against issues of corruption.
Speaking in a question and answer session with journalists shortly after the training, Isong enumerated the seven pillars of anti-corruption to include, discipline, integrity, dignity, dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance and self-reliance.
Isong, who doubles as the National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, stated that the war against corruption can be won if all Nigerians join their hands to stage a fight against the social malaise, stressing that hope is not yet lost for Nigeria.
The anti-corruption organisation called on journalists in the country to intensify the fight against corruption, urging the media practitioners to always confront those put in places of authority whenever they were found wanting as confrontation remains the only catalyst to good governance.
In his keynote address, the General Manager of the Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation, CRBC, Mr. Moritz Inok, called on all to join force with the Federal Government’s anti-corruption agencies in fighting corruption, stressing that these social odd is not only limited to those in government alone, but also prevalent even in the private sector.
He asserted, “The PoS operators who dealt with members of the public during the naira scarcity are not governent officials, but exhibited act of corruption.
“These set of people scammed us, Yahoo boys, and even those who engaged in shady deals in their private lives are also corrupt.”
